I developed this dessert years ago when I was the chef of a Napa Valley winery and the lemon mousse roulade I tried to make for visiting VIPs turned into a soggy, sugary glop. I quickly combined some ingredients I’d set aside for the next day’s breakfast and, lo and behold, I had a grilled fruit sensation on my hands.–Jamie Purviance

LC Happy Accident Note

Did you read the above note? The author of this recipe, Jamie Purviance, just ‘fessed up to the fact that these grilled pineapple skewers exist only through happy accident. The result is so lovely, though, it’s enough to make a person believe in fate.

Directions

1. In a medium skillet over high heat, melt the butter and cook until it begins to turn brown. Add the brown sugar and stir until it dissolves. Add the orange juice carefully, as it will bubble up when it hits the hot syrup. Stir until the mixture is smooth.

2. Season with the salt, pepper, and cloves. Cook until the mixture turns syrupy (there should be about 1/3 cup). Remove the skillet from the heat, add the lemon juice, stir well, and pour the glaze into a medium bowl to cool.

3. Remove the top, bottom, and all the rough peel from the pineapple. Cut the pineapple lengthwise into quarters and remove the core from each section. Cut each quarter in half and then into 1-inch pieces. Add the pineapple pieces to the bowl of glaze and gently toss to coat them.

Recipe Testers Reviews

Grilled pineapple makes for a simple yet flavorful element to any meal on a hot summer’s day. This recipe combines chunks of fresh pineapple with a sweet, spiced browned butter that’s been reduced to a golden glaze. Clove, pepper, and citrus juice work in tandem to enhance the pineapple’s sweet, fruity notes and bursts of pepper awakened my palate and provided a little heat. The skewers can be prepared in short order—the glaze is the only part of the recipe that takes a little time, as the syrup needs to reduce and thicken—and grilled up in about 6 to 10 minutes, which gave the pineapple its distinct markings, plus a little nutty flavor from the caramelization. You can easily serve it with grilled chicken or treat it as a dessert. I enjoyed the latter, especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It’s the best!

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